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Skeleton
Skeletons are cheap protectors. Their immunity to poison and later to all status effects, make them very strong against poisonmages, spiders, basilisks, frostmages, etc. (See Ability page) + |tip = - }} __TOC__ Strategy: Strength: The level one Skeleton is the second cheapest Minion able to move and attack in a plus formation. (Cheapest is Mercenary) This means the Skeleton has a good degree of movement flexibility, able to change row and column and attack pieces that can only attack diagonally or from one direction, such as Pawns and Axeman from the front and Spearman and Penguins from the side. This large radius of attack also makes the Skeleton an effective defensive piece, able to be put into position and threaten any piece from moving into its four attack areas. A Skeleton is able to easily deal with Spiders and a Skeleton+ can make quick work of a FrostMephit. Most notably, the Skeleton can be upgraded in the middle of a battle by using a Necromancer, able to ascend it all the way to a Skeleton+++, which is nearly as powerful as a Warrior. Weakness: The Skeleton's slow movement, inability to move or attack diagonally, and limited range greatly limit the units effectiveness. It is effectively countered by the common strategy of setting Minions diagonally from each other, and at a cost of two, one could play two other Minions instead of the Skeleton. The Skeleton's effect of being status immune can often do little to nothing over the course of a game. Finally, while the Necromancer + Skeleton combo is appealing, it is incredibly slow: one must not only spend three turns to get a Skeleton+++, but six morale as well. While setting a Skeleton and a Necromancer in position so one can perform this combo from the beginning of the game may sound an effective tactic, it threatens to leave one at a severe disadvantage for early game board control. Strategy: Skeleton Upgrades Skeleton+ The first upgrade to the Skeleton is very useful as it gives the Skeleton the ability to move diagonally which is important as it makes the skeleton a far more effective piece. With this greater movement, the skeleton finaly has a chance to put its status immunity to use, threatening status-based units and able to cause some strife to Medusas by chasing them down from the horizontal. A highly recommended upgrade. Skeleton++ The second upgrade to the Skeleton makes it even more mobile, allowing it to move two spaces away in the horizontal and vertical directions. Skeleton+++ The final form of Skeleton, and the ultimate goal of most Necromancers, the Skeleton now has a range of two squares to attack and move in the vertical and horizontal directions, making it remarkably more mobile and more tricky to pin down. While it cannot attack diagonally, the ability to move diagonally is still quite useful, and can be combined with rapid horizontal and vertical movement to get the Skeleton exactly where it wants to be, and to be able to take advantage of its status immunities. At the rather steep cost of six, more than some Champions, however, actively placing this unit into your lineup is a noteworthy dedication of resources.